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How European development aid makes a difference

Together the European Union and its Member States provide over 50 % of all global development aid, making them the world’s largest donors of official development assistance (ODA). In 2015, the EU’s collective ODA amounted to €68 billion.1 As one of the oldest external activities of the European Communities, development policy was originally focused on former colonies of Member States; but it now covers some 160 countries around the world – whilst also putting strong emphasis on support to the poorest countries. Today’s EU development policy is guided by the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs, see following graphic) agreed at United Nations (UN) level in 2015.